Stretcher



Feb. 10, 1942. J. R. SMITH, JR., T An.

STRETCHER Filed Dec. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y J. R; SMITH, JRAND DE LA RosA mvENToRs n N R mv A Patented Feb.vl0,

2,212.681 p. j s'rnE'ronEn w I John Rudolph Smith, Jr., Haddonield, N. J., and

Frank De la Rosa, Philadelphia, Pa.,

to A. Smith & Son, Pa., a corporation assignors Incorporated, Philadelphia,- ot Pennsylvania Application December 23, 1939, Serial No. 310,778

2 Claims.

This invention relates to stretchers or carriers for use in transporting patients or Wounded, fractured, or other disabled persons.

An object of ,the invention is to provide an improved stretcher consisting of a body formed of two sections adapted to be connected together along adjacent longitudinal edges, one section of the body being of greater Width than the other section, so that the adjoining edges of the two sections are located at one side of the medial line of the body, the two sections being formed of canvas or other suitable fabric which is braced by a plurality of longitudinally extending slats constructed and so arranged therein that the wider section has more slats than the narrower section.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sectional stretcher of the above type, in which the sections are adapted to be secured together by means of a slide fastener.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sectional stretcher of the above type in which means carried by both sections at one end of the stretcher are adapted to be interlocked with the slide of the fastener so as to retain said slide in locked position.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, the invention .consists-in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a bottom plan of a stretcher constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of the underside of an end portion of the stretcher showing the manner of locking the slide;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 looking at the upper side of the stretcher; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the main body of the stretcher consists of two sections II and I2, both of said sections being formed of canvas or other suitable fabric. y

Preferably the device is formed of two layers of fabric which are stitched' together, as indi cated 'at I3, so that a strong body is provided.

Formed longitudinally in the section II, by stitches I4, is a, plurality of elongated pockets I5, in each of which is embedded a slat I6 (see Fig. 2).

Stitches l1 also form a series of longitudinal 55 pockets I8 in the section I2 posed in each pocket I 8.

The pockets I5, I8 and the slats I 6, I9, respectively, terminate a suitable distance from each end of the device, so as to provide a head piece 20 and a. foot piece 2|.

The slats I6 and I9 function as means for stiifening the device in a longitudinal direction, and the several pockets I5, I 8, are flexibly connected so that the body of the stretcher may be flexed in a transverse direction. In this waya bed or support is provided on which a person may be properly sustained or carried.

A suitable number of straps 22 are secured to the outer longitudinal edge of the section Il, and a corresponding number of buckles 23 are secured to the outer longitudinal edge of the section I2. These straps 22 and their buckles 23 may be used for the purpose of fastening a personin position on the device.

At the corners and sides of the stretcher are handles 24, whereby the stretcher and its occupant can be conveniently carried. The handles may be formed of any suitable material, arranged in U-shape and having their free ends .riveted or otherwise secured to the body of the stretcher, as indicated at 25, Fig. 1. v

Secured to the edge 3Uof the section I I, is a strip of material 3| having mounted thereon elements 32 adapted to be interlocked with correspondingly formed elements 33 mounted` on a strip of material 34 secured to the edge 3510i the section I2.

A slide 36 of any suitable construction has bails or loops 3l and 36 formed on the opposite sides thereof.

Secured to the bail 31, is a pull 39 and secured to the bail 38 is a pull 40.

The pulls 39 and 40 are in the form of metallic f pieces, and each is perforated'y as indicated at a element.

purpose to be here- Secured to the end of thescctionflZandpro-A 'l jecting laterally therefrom-so 'as to extend'across' the .tab 43, is Ya flexibleta'bfllhaving mounted thereon a stud-46 or -inale fastening element.A f

The stud 4s has-avropnded neadufanannumrf f Y groove 4 8, anda base' which is securedftoxthe tab I5 in any convenientv manner- Ingth present iii-f ,and a sian Is is dis-v 'ulpf a suitame fastening-"j l stance the base of the stud 46 is shown as having a pair of fingers 43 which extend through the tab 45 and are passed through suitable openings formed in a ring 50 on the side of the tab opposite to the side having the stud 46, the free ends of said nngers being bent inwardly against the ring 50, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The female member 44 consists of two metallic pieces 5I and 52 arranged on the opposite sides ol' the tab 43. The piece 52 lies against the tab, as shown in Fig. 5, and has openings through which are passed fingers 53 which extend from the piece 5|, through the tab 43, the free ends of the fingers 53 being bent inwardly against the piece 52.

The piece 5| has a wall 54 arranged in spaced relation to the tab 43, so as to provide a chamber 55.

Alined openings 56, 51 and 58 are formed, respectively, in the piece 5I, the tab 43 and the piece 52, for the stud 46.

Secured within the piece 5I is a pair of substantially parallel leaf springs 59. These springs are spaced apart a suitable distance and are arranged in such a manner that when the stud 46 is inserted in the female member 44 the springs 59 will seat snugly in the groove 48 to thereby lock the tabs 43 and 45 together.

Since the slide 36 is formed with the two pulls 39 and 40, and since each of these pulls is perforated, when the slide is drawn lengthwise of the stretcher to interlock the elements 32 and 33, the slide can be locked against movement by inserting the stud 46 through the openings of either one or both pulls before said stud is engaged with the female member 44 on the tab 43.

In the drawings, only the pull 42 is shown operatively connected with the stud 46, since in most instances it will be found that it is not necessary to operatively connect both pulls with the stud. When one pull is left free, as shown in the drawings, when it is desired to separate the sections I I and I2, the tab 43 can be disconnected from the stud 46 and the pull slid from said k stud and then drawn lengthwise of the stretcher to cause the slide 36 to unlock the elements 32 from the elements 33.

Since the pulls 39 and 40 are located on opposite sides of thev device, the stretcher can be used with either side up since a pull will be readily accessible for operating the slide 36, irrespective which side of the stretcher is up.

On occasions when it is desired to remove a body from the stretcher, the sections II and I2 can be readily separated for permitting the person carried thereby to be deposited directly upon a table, bed or the like without bodily lifting such person from the stretcher, and since the width of the section` I I is not the same as the width of the section I2, the stretcher may be parted beneath a patient and the patient laid upon a bed without being turned or unduly handled or jai-red when the stretched is removed, or in any way lnconvenenced by the connecting means for the sections.

When the slide 36 is drawn to the portion oi the .stretcher comprising the foot piece 2| it engages a pair oi' cylindrical members 6I and 62, mounted, respectively, on the strips of material 3| and 34.

Secured to the member 6I is a stop 63 which limits further movement of the slide, and since the slide when it engages said stop is operatively disconnected fromthe elements 32 and 33, the two sections II and I2 are separated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: p

1. In a device of the type described, a body formed of two sections of fabric, a row of interlocking elements arranged along an edge of each section, a slide for interlocking said elements, a pull for manipulating said slide, said pull having an opening formed therein, a tab secured to each section, said tabs being arranged so that one tab overlies the other tab, a stud fixed to one of said tabs, a member carried by the other tab and engageable with said stud for locking the tabs together, said stud being insertable through the opening in said pull so as to dispose said pull between said tabs and thereby prevent movement of said slide in a direction away from said tabs when the tabs are secured together.

2. In a device of the type described, a body formed ol" two sections of flexible material, a. row of interlocking elements arranged along an edge of each section, a slide for interlocking said elements, a pulll for manipulating said slide, said pull having an opening formed therein, a tab secured to each section, said tabs being arranged to extend laterally outwardly from the edges of -the material so that one tab overlies the other tab, a member having an opening formed therein mounted on one of said tabs, a stud xed to the other tab and engageable in the opening of said member for locking the tabs together in spaced relation, the opening in said member and the center of said stud being disposed along the abutting edges of said sections, said pull being adapted to be positioned in the space between said overlapped tabs and said stud being insertable through the opening in said pull so as to lock the pull and said slide from longitudinal movement when the tabs are secured together.

JOHN RUDOLPH SMITH, JR. FRANK DE LA ROSA. 

